By Stefan Varner.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to witness the inspiring speech about the removal of the Jefferson Davis and other Civil War monuments in the great city of New Orleans, Louisiana. I say “great” not because of the geographical location or its physical beauty, but because of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, City Council Members, and other courageous leaders who, after exhaustive community input, led their city to the very right decision to no longer aggrandize historical figures who fought to enslave and oppress our African American brothers and sisters, and generations of their children.
On May 19, 2017, one hundred and fifty-two years after the end of the Civil War, the City of New Orleans, shining brightly among all of our fine cities, demonstrated to all Americans Real Leadership, and the way toward a brighter future. I commend them for courageously setting the example which we all can emulate. You see, the citizens and leaders of any American city or town, large or small, each with its own particular issues and concerns, can step up, take the reins, show where we continue to go wrong, and the right way forward.
If there are any people in American or worldwide history whom we should remember and honor above all, then it should be those individuals who suffered the horrendous, despicable condition of human slavery, not their oppressors. In my own small way, I would like to do just that by pointing out Mayor Landrieu’s moving speech for everyone to experience. Take a few moments now.
“Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Address on Removal of Four Confederate Statues”
New Orleans’ action, coming after the removal of the Confederate flag from our own South Carolina Capitol Building, is doubly inspiring. And it appears that other cities and municipalities might be on the verge of taking similar actions:
“Confederate monument removal in New Orleans inspires St. Louis”
Let fair minded people continue to stand up for what is right. Let us not allow history to be wrongly stated, or exclude certain groups in lieu of the blatant elevation of others. And let us speak out and take action wherever human oppression of any kind occurs
